For the Pizza Connoisseur

Mushroom Brie & Walnut Pizza

Melt in your mouth pizza! I can't get enough thin crust style gourmet pizzas, I think I could eat one every night!  This one has morel, shitake, and porcine mushrooms sauteed with olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Over your favorite flatbread pizza crust (home made is always best) spread the pizza sauce of your choice, sprinkle with mozzarella, top with mushrooms and fresh parsley leaves.  To top it all off add wedges of Brie cheese (I cut off the white outside layer even though it is edible).  Bake in a 450 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  The Brie cheese will meld perfectly with the rest of the pizza, mmmm!

Edible Bouquet

Edible Fruit Arrangement

My husband inspired the idea after surprising me with his own edible arrangement.  This Mother's Day I decided to create an edible fruit arrangement as good as that of Edible Arrangements but much less in price.  It's definitely not something to tackle last minute.  Choose a cute tin or container to put it in and glue in a styrofoam block.  Cut wooden skewers to various lengths.  Choose the fruits you like; pineapple, grapes, strawberries, and melons work best.  Dip the chocolate ones first and stick in the styrofoam.  For the flowers and shapes use a melon baller, crinkle cutter, and flower cookie cutter.  Have fun with it!

PB&J Bites

Peanut Butter & Jelly Cupcakes

Possibly my favorite cupcake creation yet.  Unsophistication that brings me back to sitting in little school, eating my peanut butter and jelly sandwich with not a care in the world (apparently kids aren't allowed the simple pleasure of peanut butter in schools due to allergies, what is this world coming to?).  I got the idea from a local cupcake shop that had this cupcake.  Their jelly was baked into the cake and the peanut butter frosting wasn't sweetened (my husband encouraged that I could do it better).  For a late night snack I whipped these up with a yellow cake, strawberry jelly filling, and rich peanut butter frosting.  A pb & j sandwich in one sweet bite!

Tofu, What's That, I'm no Vegetarian...

Jungle Curry Tofu

I used to hear tofu and think of the 'tofurkey' on an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond.  It's really not bad at all, don't get me wrong I'm not giving up my meat.  Tofu has a really weird jelly-like consistency and will take on the flavor of just about anything you cook it in.  The best way to cook it is probably to fry it up like in this recipe.  The fresh vegetables make this a colorful and healthy dish. Served over a bed of jasmine or basmati (the sticky rice as my husband refers to it), it makes a great meal.

Curry Tofu Recipe

This Ain't Your Average Egg Mcmuffin

Bacon and Egg Sandwich with Caramelized Onions and Arugula

I could eat this sandwich for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The sweetness of the caramelized onions, spice of the arugula, saltiness of the bacon, and oozing egg yolk meld together in one amazing sandwich! The best part is that it's healthy and can be done in under 30 minutes.  Don't pass this one up it's eggsellent!

Egg Sandwich Recipe

Pythagoras Cupcakes

My students are always asking when I'm going to bake something for them, so for my own birthday I brought in cupcakes (just like mom used to send you to school with goodies on your birthday except I'm a big kid now).  Since I teach math I was racking my brain for an easy way to make the cupcakes math related.  I found sour airhead strips which can be cut into triangles; they also work great for rainbows on a St. Patrick's day pot 'o' gold cupcake.  For all you math-haters out there, the triangle represents Pythagoras, the philosopher that developed the Pythagorean theorem.  We're also working on trigonometry, I know everyones favorite subject, so the triangles were the perfect dorky math touch!  The cupcake itself is like a hostess cream filled delight, rich dark chocolate cake, fluffy white cream filling, and a chocolate fudge buttercream frosting.

Baked Potato Soup

 Baked Potato Soup

Most potato soups are cream-based and can add quite a bit to your waist.  This soup tricks you into believing that it's cream-based when it's actually stock, potatoes, and cauliflower.  The only thing I might change a little is adding a bit more potato.  The bacons, scallion, cheddar and sour cream are what really make this soup taste like a loaded baked potato.

Baked Potato Soup

 

A Mother's Day Feast

Lemon Garlic Chicken & Fingerling Potatoes

It seems to be that I've created a tradition of having my mom and two grandmothers over for a Mother's Day dinner. This year I wanted to try something besides grilled chicken, but I didn't stray far with two roasted chickens.  THE BEST roasted chickens I've ever had by far; so moist and delicious. My husband and I were actually watching the cooking show that had this chicken on it and I adjusted my menu to have it. To go nicely with the garlic, I chose fun-colored roasted fingerling potatoes.  The great thing about whole chickens is that you'll usually have something left for leftovers. We made pulled chicken tacos with fresh pico de gallo, chicken salad sandwiches (made with cubed chicken, sliced red grapes, chopped walnuts, light mayo, and dijonnaise), and chicken cobb salads.  The chicken salad was delish, if I do say so myself.

Roasted Lemon Garlic Chicken

Fingerling Potatoes & Beans Recipe

Squash is Good for Something other than Baby Food...

Bacon & Butternut Squash Pasta

When I was a kid, up until last year, I hated any kind of squash due to the mushy consistency.  Now, I've found some great recipes that have helped me acquire a taste for squash, butternut to be specific.  Butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sauce is great as well as this new pasta dish I found. Bacon, roasted squash, kale, and a creamy sauce pair nicely in this hearty but healthy dish! Be sure you have enough time though, preferably a nice Sunday dinner. I tried it on a weeknight and we weren't eating until 8 at night. Also, be careful cutting the butternut squash, it's extremely tough and hard to cut through.

Pasta Recipe

Beef & Broccoli, just like take-out but better!

Mongolian Beef

One of my husband's usual take-out items of choice the #9 beef and broccoli.  This recipe sheds a whole new light on this dish that's so quick and easy to make at home. I'll never do Chinese take-out again, when I can do it in ten minutes too. The beef is so moist, that I wouldn't change the cut. It works great over rice noodles (found in the oriental section of the grocery store).

Mongolian Beef

Shroom Delight

Caprese Portobello Burger (Why was the mushroom the life of the party? ...because he was the fun-gi) 

I'm not a vegetarian but I like to branch out from meat once in a while.  Even though this burger comes in the form of a mushroom, it's filling and delicious. To start out with remove the stems and marinate the portobellos. My marinade consists of minced garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.  Mix the marinade with mushrooms in a ziplock and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Then grill over medium heat for about 4 minutes on each side or until soft but not charred. In the last few minutes turn the mushroom stem side up, fill with your favorite marinara and top with fresh mozzarella cheese. Serve on a bun or sandwich round with baby spinach.

My Big Fat Greek...

Grilled Greek Chicken

It's actually not fattening at all and has very few ingredients.  Very colorful if serving with company.  The Greek flavor comes from the feta cheese and tomato blend.  I used multicolor cherry tomatoes for great taste.  I tried to lighten the dish up even more with fat free feta; don't try it, it tasted like dirty old socks.  Also, if you have time, the longer you marinate the chicken, the better it gets; so get marinatin' !

Chicken Recipe

Salty What?

Chicken Saltimbocca

I've made this dish before and posted about it, last time it was just a little less healthy. This lightens up a traditional Italian chicken dish consisting of fresh lemons, sage, and prosciutto. Quick to make and pairs great with a glass of wine and bed of orzo. As I always say there's no substitute for fresh herbs especially the sage in this dish.

Chicken Recipe

Layers of Lovin' Lasagna

White Chicken Lasagna

Not a meal you want to make when you only have a few minutes but oh so worth it. This light lasagna has no business being called light with layer upon layer of flavor. Layers of cheese, chicken, spinach, and butternut squash all topped with a creamy bechemel sauce.  Be prepared to feed an army or try freezing it in airtight containers.

Lasagna Recipe

Pizza Minis

English Muffin Pizzas

Who doesn't love a little slice of heaven, a pizza pie? Even if you're trying to eat healthier, this pizza is for you. You can substitute any of the ingredients for your favorites. I used light english muffins, spicy tomato sauce, baby spinach and laughing cow cheese. Toast your buns first. Cover one half with sauce, then add a handful of baby spinach, then laughing cow cheese wedge, and top with other half of the muffin. Use either a grilling pan or small fry pan sprayed with cooking spray and press sandwich in pan. Flip and cook until both side of the bread are toasted. Enjoy comfort food at its best!

How Do You Like Your Eggs?

Eggs Benedict

A healthy twist on the traditional eggs benedict. This recipe replaces ham with turkey bacon and the muffin with a lite english muffin or sandwich round. Even works well as a dinner. Sam I am, I do I do like green eggs and ham.

Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Rice Bowls

Chicken Fried Rice

Up until lately I never thought I would be able to make great tasting oriental food at home; 

not true! This fried rice is easy, healthy, and so much better than takeout. I've always 

wondered how the restaurant fried rice gets so yellow and tastes; curry powder is 

the answer! This rice has a great mix of veggies and meat but I'm sure you could 

substitute anything you wanted. Bok choy was new to my husband and I but now 

it's a great addition to Asian cuisine.  

Fried Rice Recipe

Pepperoni Pizza in a Pasta Dish

Pepperoncini Pasta

It's like a pepperoni pizza turned into a one pot pasta dish.  The sauce with the crushed tomatoes had such great flavor.  I substituted turkey pepperoni to make the dish even lighter, the only issue will be you may have to add a little oil since the pepperoni won't give you any.  The pepperoncini peppers were okay in the pasta but weren't my favorite.  I would use a lot less or substitute some black olives and green bell peppers (like a supreme pizza).   If anchovies scare you then leave them out (all they do is add a little more saltiness). 

Recipe

1medium carrot, grated

1 garlic clove

1 can 28oz whole plum tomatoes

3 tbsp love oil

Salt & pepper

1lb penne pasta

4oz penne pasta

4 pepperoncini peppers, thinly sliced

1 anchovy filet finely chopped

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped

In food processor pulse garlic and carrot until fine. Add tomatoes with their juice, 2 tbsp oil, 1/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper and pulse.  Transfer to saucepan and simmer 20 minutes. Cook pasta, drain and return to pot. In large skillet heat remaining oil. Add pepperoni and cook 3 min. Add pepperoncini and anchovy and toss. Add sauce, pepperoni mix and parsley to pot, toss and serve.

Gumbo in a Hurry

Chicken & Sausage Gumbo

This is a great healthy and quick gumbo.  We absolutely love it; a real week night winner.  The actual recipe calls for a chicken andouille sausage but I used a chicken kielbasa to make the meal lighter (also because I couldn't find it at the grocery store).  I also omitted the okra; both because I didn't have it and because my dad grew up in the south and used to say how awful it was.  For the creole seasoning, I quickly made up my own; a few shakes of each onion powder, garlic powder, dried oregano, dried basil, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper (for the kick), paprika, and salt.  The spices really added to the flavor!

Gumbo Recipe 

Zucchini in a Pancake?

Zucchini Pancakes

Sounds odd, but tastes great.  A light and healthy side dish, breakfast, or as the "burger" substitute in a mini slider.  These pancakes are similar to latkes (potato pancakes) and they cook up quickly.  For a healthy version be sure to fry in cooking spray instead of oil.  For a dipping sauce try a nice aioli, cheese sauce, or even the old stand by, ketchup.

Zucchini Pancakes Recipe

Chicken Tenders Caribbean Style

Coconut Chicken Tenders w/ Marmalade Dipping Sauce 

Kids love them, adults love them, and more importantly, I love them!  Chicken tenders are a great comfort food and even better when they're baked not fried.  These chicken tenders take on a Carribean feel with the coconut/panko breading.  Adding the spicy thai marmalade dipping sauce add the perfect amount of sweet heat!  The best part is that they're easy to make and take very little time.
For the sauce: mix orange marmalade, thai chili sauce, and lime juice (Add the chili sauce gradually until you reach desired heat level).

Chicken Tender Recipe